Uncovering knowledge on travel behaviour during COVID-19: a convergent parallel mixed-methods study in the context of Italy

Abstract

Against the background of uncertainty and crisis generated by COVID-19, academics and practitioners have struggled to envision how travelling behaviour will be transformed by the pandemic and when it will resume. Despite its relevance to both theory and practice, current research devoted to this research strand is still in its early stages. This study, reliant on Protection Motivation Theory, was conducted in order to assess the ways in which travellers’ preferences are changing as a result of the coping strategies they adopt to protect themselves from the health crisis. To do this, a convergent parallel mixed method approach (data validation variant) was applied to a sample of 4,539 completed questionnaires, collected in Italy, which included 1,577 usable qualitative answers. A factor-cluster analysis was carried out on the quantitative data. Two factors driving destination choice emerged, namely: “Personal protective equipment, sanitation, and physical distancing” and “Outdoor and under-crowded tourism attractions and destinations”. The cluster analysis divided individuals into three groups: “All-round concerned tourists”, “Middle-concerned tourists”, and “Outdoor-driven tourists”. Finally, a series of chi-square and F-tests revealed that significant differences existed between the clusters, based on socio-demographics and travel-related characteristics (i.e., preferred accommodation facilities and means of transport, geographical scale of travelling, and travel companions). Quantitative results were then merged with qualitative results, allowing us to further deepen our understanding of travel behaviours during the pandemic and the related coping strategies. Contributions to this body of knowledge and managerial implications are discussed and suggestions for further research are given.

Intentions to Adopt Contactless Travel in the Post-Pandemic Era: Adapting to a New Normal

“…Individuals evaluate the perceived health risks associated with adopting certain behaviors, such as using contactless travel methods. This includes considerations of exposure to potential contagions, health hazards, and the overall impact on personal well being [19]. In response to heightened perception risk, contactless travel methods have surged in popularity, offering a means to minimize physical contact and mitigate virus transmission risks [20].…”

Will COVID-19 Boost Sustainable Tourism: Wishful Thinking or Reality?

“…Pardo and Ladeiras [20] Reflection by tourism agents of pandemic and future ERP 20 December O'Connor and Assaker [21] Effects on future pro-environmental traveler behavior ERP/TRP 21 January Miao et al [22] Post-COVID-19 travel behavior TRP 21 May Kane et al [23] Behavioral change of social distancing at the beach ERP 21 May Ram et al [24] Vaccination effect on share of domestic/international traveling ERP 21 July Van Wee and Witlox [25] Possible long-term effects of COVID-19 on activity/travel behavior TRP 21 July Lebrun et al [26] Travel intention of French consumers for summer 2020 ERP 21 July Del Chiappa et al [27] Uncovering knowledge on travel behavior during COVID-19 ERP 21 August Scuttari et al [28] Clusters of COVID-19-driven travel behavior ERP 21 October Park et al [29] Travelers' preference for crowded vs. non-crowded options ERP 21 December E = essay, ERP = empirical research paper, and TRP = theoretical research paper.…”

“…Early empirical evidence about the impacts of the pandemic on the behavior of tourists can be found in the Netherlands as de Haas et al [15] presented results from longitudinal data and expects long-term behavioral changes in mobility patterns due to the coronavirus pandemic, with an increase in walking and cycling, and a reduction in air travel, while other changes, such as reduced outdoor activities, are presumed to be temporal. Del Chiappa et al [27] showed reactions to the pandemic of Italian travelers and found three clusters: (1) the all-around concerned tourists with a strong need for cleanliness and hygiene, adopting more coping behaviors; (2) the middle-concerned tourists; and…”

X Foro Internacional de Turismo Maspalomas Costa Canaria (FITMCC): El sector turístico ante un nuevo escenario

“…Recent studies show that the measures used to contain the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (border closures, lockdowns and social distancing, among others) have mainly affected the tourism industry (del Rio-Chanona et al, 2020;Li et al, 2021). These measures have caused changes in the preferences and travel habits of tourists (Del Chiappa et al, 2021). In this new and changing tourism scenario defined by COVID-19, international tourism has been the most affected 1 , while domestic tourism has shown a greater capacity for recovery, due to the change in the tourist's intention to travel (Provenzano & Volo, 2022).…”